Firing device



June 22, 1937. 5, WHITE 2,084,363

FIRING DEVICE Filed May 27, 1936 F l 5 a Invent D1" kyle E Wh.'1t E EM/WF Attorney Patented June 22, 1937 ATENT OFFICE FIRING DEVICE Lyle E. White, United States Army, Fort Clayton, Canal Zone Application May 27, 1936, Serial No. 82,058

6 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The subject of this invention is a firing device, intended primarily for use on firearms.

It is quite generally conceded that poor shots can be, in the vast majority of cases, attributed to flinching. Flinching results from improper development of trigger squeeze and proper trigger squeeze can only be attained by comparatively fewusers of firearms.

To overcome this diff culty in the use of firearms it is proposed to fire the arm by mechanical means for operating the trigger; to so construct this means that its actuation of the trigger may be timed; and that it may be held against trigger actuation until released by the marksman.

With the foregoing and other objects in view.

2 the invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

7 A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of a fragment of a firearm equipped with the firing device;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the butt end of the 35 stock;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the valve block,

a part of the valve and valve stop broken away;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the same;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the regulating knob;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the valve stop;

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the check valve; and

Fig. 9 is an elevation of the regulating valve, the knob shown in section.

Referring to the drawing by numerals of refer- 45 ence:

The gun stock I is drilled longitudinally from the butt forwardly to provide a recess or chamher 2, and also drilled transversely from the top downwardly to form a passage 3 communicating 50 with the chamber 2. A groove 4 is cut in the upper wall of the chamber 2 and extends from the butt forwardly to the passage 3. From. the forward end of the chamber and to one side of the vertical central longitudinal plate thereof a 55 passage 5 is formed in the stock extending forwardly to the slot 6 formed for the reception of the trigger l.

Inserted in the chamber 2, from the rear is a valve block 8 formed with an upwardly extending boss or stufling box 9 and having a central longitudinal bore It, an upper longitudinal fluid passage I I and a series of lower fluid passages l2.

Assembled on the forward end of the block 8, by screw threading or otherwise is a cylinder I3 closed at its forward end by a centrally apertured cap I4, while to the rear end of the block is attached a cylinder I5 closed at its rear end by a centrally apertured cap l6 formed with apertured ears I'i-il through the apertures of which screws Iii-I8 may be threaded into the stock to hold the parts in place in the chamber.

Passing through the apertures in the caps and the bore in the block is a piston rod l9, upon which is mounted a piston housed in the forward cylinder I3, and between this piston and the cap I4 is a coiled spring 2| which tends to force the piston rearwardly. A second piston 22 is mounted on the piston rod I9 and is housed in the rear cylinder l5. The piston rod I9 carries, at its forward end, a cross head 23 to which is attached a rod 24, slidable in the passage 5, in the forward end of which is threaded a laterally extending finger which engages the forward edge of the trigger I. This finger is conveniently assembled by unscrewing the rod 24 a quarter turn, threading in the finger 25 and then turning the rod back to normal position.

The valve block has attached to its forward end a check valve 26, which is adapted to close the forward ends of the fluid passage I2, and a valve stop 27. Assembled through the stufiing box 9 is a valve 28 which controls the opening of the fluid passage II, the valve provided with a stem 29 passing through a gland 30 threaded into the stuffing box. On the out-er end of the valve stem 29 is secured a thumb wheel 3|, on which is inscribed a scale 32 which may read against a pointer 33 secured to the rifle stock. The graduations on the scale 32 are arranged to indicate the time at which the gun will be fired after releasing the mechanism.

The mechanism is fluid controlled and for this purpose fluid, either liquid or gaseous, but preferably liquid (not shown) is confined between the pistons.

To hold the device inoperative notches 34 are formed in the rod 24 in position to be engaged by a latch 35 pivoted in the stock and provided with a finger engaging portion 35. The latch is urged toward notch engaging position by a spring 31.

To the rear end of the stock is attached a butt plate 38 apertured to permit the passage of the rear end of the piston rod, and formed at its lower end with lugs 39 to permit hinging a shoulder plate 40 to the butt plate. Between the butt plate and shoulder plate a spring 4| may be provided and the same may be conveniently attached to the butt plate.

The operation of the device is as follows: The valve 28 is set to the time or rate of fire. The marksman aims on the target and pulls on the finger grip portion 36 of the latch thereby releasing the mechanism. The spring 2l then forces the pistons 20-22 rearwardly, the check valve 26 closing the fluid passage I2 by reason of the pressure of the fluid thereon. Fluid escapes rearwardly through the passage I I, and the rate of its escape being regulated by the setting of the valve 28. Rearward movement of the pistons and piston rod swings the shoulder plate outwardly. When rearward movement has progressed sufficiently the firing mechanism is released by reason of retraction of the trigger through the finger 25. Discharge of the gun will cause recoil against the shoulder of the marksman swinging the shoulder plate 40 forwardly thereby forcing the piston rod and pistons in a forward direction with the result that the fluid will open the check valve and flow into the front cylinder and the parts be restored to set position ready for another shot to be fired.

I claim:

1. A shoulder firearm embodying a trigger, an element for operating the trigger, means connecting the element to the trigger, releasable means engaging the connecting means to hold the element against operation, and means for regulating the operation of the element.

2. A shoulder firearm embodying a trigger, re-

40 silient means for operating the trigger, a connection between the resilient means and trigger, re-

leasable means engaging the connection to hold the resilient means inoperative, and fluid controlled means for regulating the action of the resilient means.

3. A shoulder firearm embodying a trigger, resilient means for operating the trigger, a connection between the resilient means and trigger, releasable means engaging the connection to hold the resilient means inoperative, a valve associated with the resilient means, and a fluid chamber between the resilient means and valve.

4. A shoulder firearm embodying a trigger, a rod engaging the trigger, a headed cylinder through which the rod passes, a piston on the rod within the cylinder, a spring confined between the piston and cylinder head to actuate the rod to pull the trigger means for releasing the rod, and a fluid control valve for regulating the action of the spring.

5. A firearm embodying a trigger, a rod engaging the trigger, a headed cylinder through which the rod passes, pistons on the rod within the cylinder, a spring confined between a piston and cylinder head to actuate the rod and pull the trigger, a fluid control valve between the pistons for regulating the action of the spring, and means engaging the rod and actuated by recoil of the firearm to restore the parts to normal position.

6. A firearm embodying a trigger, a rod engaging the trigger, a headed cylinder through which the rod passes, pistons on the rod within the cylinder, a spring confined between a piston and cylinder head to actuate the rod to pull the trigger, a fluid control valve between the pistons for regulating the action of the spring, and a hinged shoulder plate engaging the rear end of the rod and actuated upon recoil of the firearm to restore the parts to normal.

LYLE E. WHITE. 

